Top five tips for playing games on video calls

Playing games on a video call is quickly becoming commonplace as a source of entertainment with family and friends. But since it's such a new concept, we definitely have a bit to learn to make the video chat games work as well as possible. We've got some tips to help you get started with your video call games - good luck!

Also see: video call game ideas and board games you can play via video call.

1. Ensure the connection is good quality

A good connection is crucial for playing games over zoom and skype. If the connection is poor quality and some members of the video chat are cutting in and out, or have unrecognisable audio, this will end up distracting from the game. It may be worth doing a test call and helping out your friends and family to ensure they have a high quality connection before beginning the game.

2. Use speakers or wireless headphones

To maximise the variety of games you can play, it's worth freeing yourself up to be able to move around while on the video call. If you set your phone to speaker mode, or put on a bluetooth headset, you won't be tied to your laptop with headphone cables. Of course, if you are using speakers and a microphone, make sure you're in an appropriate space where you don't have to worry about being too loud or having the speakers on quietly.

3. Avoid slow bluetooth headsets

If you have decided to use a bluetooth headset while playing a game on video chat, then it's best to ensure that the bluetooth connection won't cause any delays with the audio. Some slower connections can mean your audio is slightly out of sync and conversations can become tricky.

4. Play games with smaller groups

In this case, too many cooks will spoil the broth. Zoom calls with a large number of people can be really tough to manage (although we've got some great game ideas for large group video calls). And since playing a game will only add to the complexity, it may not be the right idea for your big group gathering. However, there might be some very structured games that still work - like running a quiz or playing games in teams and breakout rooms.

5. Keep it simple

Maybe this goes without saying? Keeping things simple while playing games on video call can make it an achievable goal. Start with an easy game and work your way up to something more complex. Don't try to play a really long running game, just play something short so video callers don't get too tired. And remember to keep laughing as some of the games you play might not work very well!